Add To Your Hypocrisy
by Likeasunburn
Summary: Taylight Lexicon Challenge 1. Cullen Closet Hanson Fans: To her, image IS everything.


Disclaimer: Don't own Twilight, wish I did. Don't own the song, really I did. I'll settle for the songwriter though, if anyone feels so inclined.

**Add To Your Hypocrisy**

"I'll be back," he growled, "promptly."

As Edward lead his red-faced girlfriend out the front door of the opulent home, his words were more promise than statement. His eyes still fully glazed in anger, as they finally tore away from the vampire standing across the span of the massive room.

_Well, yes. You live here, don't you?_

Rosalie had decades ago mastered the skill of broadcasting her thoughts in a sardonic tone for Edward's benefit. It mattered nothing that he had already slammed the door shut with a force that managed to knock a framed antique mirror from the wall, he'd hear. Esme would be furious, the inward satisfaction of that thought was nearly enough to make her lips twitch up into a smirk, but her eyes stayed locked on the now closed front door.

It wasn't until she'd heard the Volvo crank and drive away, that she exhaled a sigh and let her posture slump slightly, dropping her arms from where she'd had them folded tightly across her chest. The anger gradually began to seep from her dark eyes, until her face settled into more of a pensive expression. Now without Bella's embarrassment and Edward's fury, she allowed herself to admit that the entire situation wasn't nearly as amusing as she'd intended for it to be. It use to be far less trying, and more fun, to give Edward a hard time. Back in the days before _her_.

The entire thing was ridiculous, anyway. Really, was it her fault that Edward's little sweetheart couldn't stand to hear a bit of criticism?

Such musings continued to cycle through her head, as she changed her clothes and pulled back and then braided her hair with an impossible blur of white hands. She was back down the stairs in a fraction of a moment. Suddenly feeling suffocated, strangled, by some unknown heaviness in her chest, she hurried out the backdoor and into fresh air and the bright afternoon sunlight. As she made her way across the lawn toward the garage, the prism of colors reflected off her skin and dancing onto the white painted walls of the house and garage ahead like a kaleidoscope. Tapping a series of numbers onto the electronic keypad attached to the wall, the garage door rose slowly. Stepping inside, she was immediately hit by the strong, noxious fumes of gasoline and motor oil. Such scents normally aren't ones that someone might think of as being particularly welcoming, but this was her refuge, and the smell was a comfort, a consistency. She would spend countless hours in there, Emmett instantly knowing when to leave her alone... well, most of the time at least. The methodical tasks of using the various tools, keeping her hands busy, was something that Rosalie had always used as a defensive weapon. The distraction of these familiar actions and routines was quite effective at occupying her mind to the point that she was able to suppress her emotions when necessary.

At least, is use to be effective.

She had no sooner popped the hood of the Jeep, than she let the socket wrench fall from her hand and down onto the cement floor with a loud metallic clang. The heaviness was still there, it had followed her out and into her own sanctuary. Now knowing that she would not be unable to utilize her usual technique of distraction, she hissed a few unladylike words under hear breath.

Edward had overacted. She hadn't said anything too unforgiving. A little condescending perhaps, but _too_ terribly awful. She'd said worse things to Bella in the past, far worse. It wasn't even Bella herself that she'd spoken of! Even still, Bella's cheeks redden into a blush of embarrassment and her eyes betrayed the fact that she took Rosalie's comments as a personal offense. All this ridiculousness over some _music band_?

"Ludicrous girl," the blonde muttered to herself once again.

It seemed that ever since her father had lifted the punishment he'd given his daughter after her little adventure in Italy, Bella and Edward scarcely left one another's side. And as if he wasn't annoying enough already, these days Edward appeared constantly paranoid. He seemed absolutely convinced that the entire world was out to get Bella, as if fate itself had placed a bounty on her head, and every that "_bump in the night"_ thing in the world wanted a piece of the action. Which, for all Rosalie knew, could quite possibly be the truth. After all, Victoria, the Volturi hunter, those foul Quileute mutts… She'd never known one little human girl could cause so many problems for anyone… but this wasn't _anyone_, this was her own family. Her neck, as well as Emmett's, was being put on the line because of Bella Swan. And that, needless to say, was _not_ ok.

_Edward and his stupid ideas._

In the interest of satisfying both Edward's overprotectiveness and Alice's demands that Bella "get out more", they'd had to find some relatively safe, Bella-proof activities… which pretty much meant her sitting still. With that in mind, they'd taken to all sitting around together in the spacious living room to watch a movie or sit and talk. Well, no, not _all_ of them. Rosalie usually rose to leave the room upon their little play-group time, slipping back out to her sanctuary and tools. She became a voluntary exile from her own home.

This had began as one such afternoon. After much pleading and teasing on Edward and Emmett's behalf, Bella relented and had brought over a DVD of the band whose lead singer had been her first preteen crush. This is what Rosalie had found Alice, Emmett, Edward, and Bella to be lounging around the living room watching, when she descended the stairs an hour ago. Her eyes flashed to the sweaty, blond-haired boy who, eyes closed and shoulders rolling, wailed out a bluesy melody from the plasma screen that hung on the adjacent wall.

Rosalie stopped short, her foot froze in mid-step on the bottom stair. Her yellow-gold eyes flickered from the television screen to the relaxed group gathered around the room. Both boys chuckled and teased Bella good naturedly, while Alice chirped comments and questions in Bella's direction, clearly enjoying herself immensely. They all seemed so relaxed and at home with one another, so at home. They hadn't taken any notice of her what so ever. She lifted her chin slightly and steeled herself, as she finally stepped off the bottom stair.

"What on earth is that horrid noise?" He voice rang out clear and icy, timeless face twisting into a mask of displeasure.

Bella's face darkened in color in an instant. She scrambled off Edward's lap to sit next to him on the sofa with the frazzled expression of a child who'd been caught in some wrong-doing by a teacher.

"Oh! Uh, s-sorry, Rosalie. Was the music too loud?" The dark-haired human girl stammered slightly, her hand already reaching for the remote control that lay before them on a coffee table. Edward's hand easily shot out in an invisible action catching ahold of Bella's wrist gently.

"No, it's fine." His grip on her arm may have been gentle, but his tone and the disgusted look that he cast in Rosalie's direction most certainly was not.

She made sure to twist her face into an equally unpleasant expression. "You're calling _this_ music? You must be joking." She made sure to wrinkle her nose up at exactly the right moment now that she had the attention of her audience. She pretended not to notice as Emmett sighed quietly from across the room, while Alice rolled her eyes and Edward narrowed his into slits indicating impatience.

Bella scrambled up off the sofa and to her feet, muttering in a flustered manner that it was time for her to be getting home. Edward hurriedly contested, claiming it was early yet. Bella countered him just as quickly citing the excuse of needing to prepare dinner for her father. Edward sighed, resigned, as he stood. He snatched up his keys from where they lay on the coffee table and joined his girlfriend, with a death glare over Bella's shoulder at his blonde sister.

Her only response was a fractional rising of one of her perfect eyebrows. When she turned around once more, she was surprised to find herself alone in the room. Emmett must be angry with her.

This was all that stupid child's fault, as usual. Then again, what wasn't these days? This was the thought swimming inside her head as she slammed the hood of the Jeep down with a hinge-breaking crash. Served him right.

Rosalie sighed as she wiped the dust from her hands on a clean white towel as she stepped around to Jeep to her own car. She opened the door, slid into the familiar plush leather seat, and sighed softly. Reaching her hand into the pocket of her jeans and retrieving the key, she cranked up the car, the engine, air conditioner, and stereo all coming to life instantaniously. The corners of her mouth lifted into the smallest of grins as an easy guitar melody began to flow from the car's expensive speakers.

_I don't feel myself today_

_Just a figure in a big monopoly game_

_Struggle is the price you pay_

_You get just enough just to give it away_

_I'm sinking but I'm floating away_

_Throw me a line so I can anchor my pain_

_The fabric is about to fray…_


End file.
